Manning Uniting Church Taree

29/10/2026

The Rev. Simon Lee has accepted a call to serve as the inaugural Presbytery Minister of the Northern Presbytery. A Special Meeting of Presbytery last Tuesday warmly endorsed the recommendation of the Joint Nominating Committee (JNC) to call Rev. Lee.
Simon currently serves alongside Rev. Paul Simpson in the ministry team at Pittwater Uniting Church. In accepting this call, Simon will conclude his ministry there – a little earlier than planned – to commence the lead role with the Northern Presbytery from February 2027.
The JNC was led by Rev. Steve Aynsley, Pastoral Relations Minister in the Southern Presbytery. Supported by some of our Northern members, Steve spoke of the gifts and qualities they believe Simon will bring.
“Along with a mature faith, Simon brings a passion for mission and discipleship (consistent with his Deacon calling) that was felt to be timely for this season of the Church and the opportunity presented by a new Presbytery. … It was felt Simon would strongly engage all members of the Presbytery in casting and holding a fresh vision,” Steve reported.
Others highlighted Simon’s strength of strategic leadership grounded in deep listening. “He is organised and methodical, strong in utilising systems and technology to assist the Church. He is warm with people but someone whose primary strengths are in moving the Church forward.” Simon is both a Deacon, pastor and encourager, focused on sharing the love of Christ and on the Church’s mission and growth.
Simon’s ministry experience included congregations in very different parts of the state, including Broken Hill, Narellan, Cronulla and Pittwater. He has served as Chairperson of Georges River Presbytery, leading them through a difficult and productive time of strategic planning. He has served in wider church roles including Synod Standing Committee.

The role of Presbytery Minister is a development of the presbytery ministry roles of the former twelve presbyteries. The PM will be the key Leader of the presbytery in building and guiding the staff team. Simon will help us keep the whole of the presbytery in balance, including ministry oversight, encouragement of congregational life and mission, and stewardship and administration.
He will work with presbytery office bearers, volunteers and staff to form the vision and plan for mission, and have an important pastoral role in holding the vision before us and encouraging ministry that assists congregations and ministers to flourish. And in his spare time, he will visit strategic places and activities around the presbytery and share in our worship, celebrations, learning and planning.

Please pray for Simon and his family in this time of sudden change; for Pittwater UC as they prepare for transition; and for all your sister churches and ministries as we continue to grow together as the Northern Presbytery.
Rev. Graham Ghavalas Perry
Presbytery Transition Leader

29/10/2026

What difference can good governance make for local congregations and communities?

Fifteen months ago, the Uniting Church took an important step in its renewal journey with the formation of the Commission for Governance, Resourcing and Administration (CGRA) following the 17th Assembly.

In this video, Rev Janet Staines and Rev David D**g Won Kim share why the Commission's work matters, what has been learned so far, and how it is helping build structures that better support the Church's mission at every level.

The CGRA is working to strengthen governance, improve the stewardship of resources and foster greater collaboration across the Church, so that congregations, faith communities and ministries can focus on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving their communities.

Watch the video: https://vimeo.com/1229418708

Learn more about the CGRA and the Act2 renewal process: https://act2uca.com/cgra/

27/10/2026

Our service at Manning Uniting Church this Sunday will be a presentation by the Worship Team and Lucy-Hopgood Brown. All are welcome.

Lucy’s message is titled: 'Democratic Republic of Congo : Hardship, Hope and Joy' and will feature the work of HandUp Congo, providing community-led solutions that strengthen health, education and livelihoods in the Democratic Republic of Congo to create lasting change.

Bible Readings:
Romans 12:12 Psalm 30:5 Zephaniah 3:17 Habakkuk 3:17-18

Join us afterwards as we gather for a time of connecting and chat over a cuppa in the auditorium. New people and visitors are most welcome.

27/10/2026

23/10/2026

🍳 BBQ Breakfast at Tuncurry! 💙

Start your Monday with a warm breakfast and some community connection!

The Uniting Church will be cooking up a free BBQ breakfast for our students.

📅 Monday, 26 October
⏰ 8:30 am – 9:00 am
📍 MJC Tuncurry

Come along, grab a bite and enjoy a friendly start to the week!

A big thank you to the Uniting Church for supporting our community. 💙 More scheduled BBQs to follow soon.

23/10/2026

Eight years on from the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, we remember the courage of survivors whose truth-telling continues to shape our Church and our nation.

Today, we renew our commitment to justice, healing, accountability and reform. We give thanks to every survivor who has shared their story and helped guide the work of creating safer communities for children and young people.

As President Rev Charissa Suli reflects:

"This is our sacred responsibility, our unshakeable commitment, and part of the ‘Threads of Love’ we are called to weave across our Church."

To mark this anniversary, the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly has released a Liturgy of Lament and a statement inviting congregations and communities to reflect, pray and recommit themselves to safeguarding.

Together, we listen. Together, we learn. Together, we act.

Find the resources and statement: https://uniting.church/eighth-anniversary-of-the-national-apology/

23/10/2026

𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲
𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗶, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

As we continue to hold Dr Helen Haines MP, her husband Phil, and their family and the Wangaratta community in our prayers, we recognise the profound suffering caused by this devastating attack and the concern it has stirred across our nation.

At a time when many Australians are troubled by hostility, threats and intimidation in public life, we are reminded of our shared responsibility for how we speak about and treat one another. Whatever the motive behind this attack, violence and intimidation have no place in our communities or in public life.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥” (Matthew 5:9).

These words are both a promise and a call. The peace of Christ is more than the absence of violence or disagreement. It is a gift that calls us to live differently, recognising that every person is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth, even when our convictions differ profoundly.

Peacemaking does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or staying silent in the face of injustice. We are called to speak the truth and challenge injustice without resorting to contempt, hostility or dehumanisation. The words we use matter, even within our own Church. We cannot proclaim the peace of Christ while failing to practise it in how we listen, speak and treat one another.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to nurture communities where people can disagree without fear, where justice is upheld, and where compassion and reconciliation shape our way of living together.

This Sunday, I invite congregations and faith communities across the Uniting Church to join in prayer for Helen, Phil, and their family; for those caring for her; and for the Wangaratta community. Let us also pray for those entrusted with public leadership, for peace throughout our nation, and for the courage to live out peace in our own communities.

In these difficult days, may we hold fast to the hope of the risen Christ, who comes to us in our fear with the words, “𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶”.

May that peace bring comfort to all who are grieving or afraid, sustain those who are suffering, and guide us as we seek to live faithfully together.

𝗥𝗲𝘃 Charissa Suli
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

Read the President's Prayer here: tinyurl.com/uca-pp-oct26

22/10/2026

Upon the second anniversary of his appointment, General Secretary Andrew Johnson reflects upon what it means to receive the gift of the Spirit and how God is continuing to shape the Uniting Church for faithful witness and service.

Andrew shares insights from two years in the role, exploring discipleship, interculturality, renewal and the Church's call to participate in God's mission. He reminds us the Spirit is already at work among us, calling us to receive one another's gifts, deepen our faith and step forward together with courage and hope.

Read Andrew's reflection and consider how the Spirit is inviting us to grow as a Church that is flourishing in faith, thriving in community and committed to justice.

Read more at https://uniting.church/receiving-the-gift-of-the-spirit/

22/10/2026

All are welcome to join us for worship at Manning UC on Sunday at 9.30am, led by Sue Withnall on the theme -
'He is calling us now to follow him…’

These lines are from the chorus of the classic worship hymn "The Servant King" written by UK worship leader Graham Kendrick in 1983.
• The Song: The hymn reflects on the humility of Jesus Christ—moving from heaven as a "helpless babe" to suffering in Gethsemane and surrendering on the cross—not to be served, but to serve.
• The Full Chorus:
This is our God, The Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to The Servant King

After the service join us for a time of connecting and chat over a cuppa. New people and visitors are most welcome.

Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 34;1-12 Matthew 22:34–46